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Safer Cars result in less Traffic Fatalities

With hundreds of millions registered vehicles on U.S. roads, accidents are sure to happen. And when we have a tendency to say accidents, we mean regarding ten million of them every year! The smart news is that a lot of safer vehicles have resulted in the decline of traffic fatalities in recent years. Traffic injuries, on the other hand, have not declined. More than 2 million Americans area unit hurt in automotive crashes annually. Injuries range from minor cuts and contusions to so much a lot of serious medical problems. More information here
Because they area unit thus common, most drivers assume that auto accident problems pretty a lot of lookout of themselves. While that might be true once each drivers emerge from their vehicles unhurt, it certainly is not the case if you’re hurt in a very collision that wasn’t your fault. As the victim, here are 3 smart reasons you ought to continually have a automotive accident lawyer on your aspect.

Insurance Companies Play Hardball

If each insurance company paid the complete quantity on every claim they received, they’d all be out of business. With millions of collisions each year, auto insurance carriers area unit solely in a position to flip a profit by paying out but the requested quantity. As such, negotiation is an vital a part of the settlement method. Because they would rather negotiate with inexperienced drivers than commissioned attorneys, insurance companies generally attempt to create a deal as presently as attainable when associate degree accident. In most cases, they will provide you with pennies on the greenback to hide your medical expenses and lost wages from work. As for your pain and suffering, carriers rarely agree to pay something unless the threat of a legal proceeding is real and at hand. Not surprisingly, hiring a car accident lawyer is usually the sole thanks to get their attention and respect.

Proving Liability Isn’t continually straightforward

Even if the opposite driver took responsibility for the collision, proving he/she should pay for your injuries is another issue. You must establish negligence to demonstrate that the crash might are avoided if not for his/her failure to require correct care. Even during the negotiating method, lawyers for the insurer can play with legal terms and ideas like negligence so as to convert you your case is weaker than you suspect. An knowledgeable automotive accident lawyer will stop such shenanigans and provide you the advantage you wish.

You Don’t Have Long To Sue

In order to forestall overcrowding within the courts, most states have put firm time limits on car crash lawsuits. In most jurisdictions, the injured party has solely a year or 2 to sue for damages. That might seem to be plenty of your time, but if you are dealing with associate degree insurance underwriter on your own, it could go by before you recognize it. An knowledgeable personal injury attorney is well aware of all the dilatory techniques these firms play to delay a time-sensitive suit. He or she can facilitate negotiate a settlement or sue for damages long before the statute of limitations expires.

If you have been hurt in a very collision that wasn’t your fault, a car accident lawyer will facilitate you get the money you merit. Find more information here

Cell Phone use Caused Auto Accident

Cell Phone Auto Accident Lawyers

Cellular phones have become increasingly popular over the last few years. In fact, you may find it difficult to find a person who does not have one. In a recent Harvard study, the number of cell phone subscribers has grown from 94 million in 2000 to more than 128 million today. With so many cell phone users out there, it is not difficult to imagine how many people talk on the phone while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 85 percent of all cell phone customers talk on the phone while driving. It has been estimated that 6 percent of auto accidents each year are caused by drivers talking on their phones. This total means 2,600 people will be killed and 330,000 will be injured in cell phone related car accidents this year.

Today, only New York bans drivers from using cell phones while driving statewide. A dozen other states have proposed similar bills only to have them die in committee. This is partly due to the millions of cell phone users out there with some politicians being among them. Some cities have banned drivers from using cell phones while driving and suggest drivers pull over before making a call or use hands-free devices while the car is in motion. The NHTSA is hesitant to agree that hands-free legislation would reduce the risk of collision. Their research suggests that the general distraction of being engaged in a conversation is more often to blame than dialing or holding the phone.

Employees are often required to make business calls while driving, especially people in sales positions. If you have been injured by an automobile accident caused by someone using a cell phone for business purposes, there is a possibility that the employer could be liable for the employee’s negligence.

Cell phones are, however, lifesavers to have with you in case of emergencies. Each day, 100,000 calls to 911 are made from cell phones. Some experts suggest drivers carry a phone with them when traveling but recommends people not use them while driving. Results of a recent survey indicate 87 percent of adults believe that using a cell phone while driving impairs a person’s ability to drive. Also, 2 out of 5 people admitted to having close calls or near misses with a driver who was on the phone. Since the evidence clearly shows that talking on the phone while driving increases the risk of accidents, if you must talk on the phone while driving use these 5 tips to reduce the risk:

Use hands-free devices such as an earpiece or phone cradle whenever possible

Never look up numbers or take notes while driving
Make calls when you are not moving or before pulling out into traffic
Try to keep conversations short and don’t make calls for social visiting while driving
When in heavy traffic, hazardous weather, or stressful situations, do not use your phone

With advances in technology such as internet connections on phones and other portable devices, the distractions will only become greater in the future. Until laws are passed prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving, the only recourse for an injured victim of a distracted driver is a personal injury lawsuit based on the negligence of the driver.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident that you feel may have been caused by a distracted driver or a someone driving while using a cell phone, you need the knowledge and resources of experienced personal injury lawyers who are willing to investigate an accident to the fullest to ensure that their clients get just and adequate compensation for their injuries.

Avoiding Credit Repair Scams
Choosing assistance from a credit repair company will only worsen your financial situation by wasting your time and putting you further behind on your debts. Neither you nor a credit repair company has the right to remove accurate, current information from a credit report.

Dealing with Debt
Shoveling out from under debt can be daunting. But taking a few smart steps can avoid legal headaches and hassles.

Dischargeable Debts
Discharge in bankruptcy refers to the bankruptcy court’s order that relieves you of your responsibility for your debts. The discharge means that your creditors can’t take any further action to collect those debts from you. Learn about which debts can be discharged in bankruptcy.

Timing Considerations Prior to Filing Bankruptcy
One of the most important decisions in considering bankruptcy is when the petition for bankruptcy should be filed. Creditors ready to file collection actions is a reason to file quickly. Maximizing exempt property is a reason to delay the filing. And, there are many more factors to ponder.

Filing Bankruptcy Individually or Jointly
The decision to file for joint bankruptcy is one that should be mutually agreed upon by the spouses. While the general rule is for both spouses to file for joint bankruptcy, there are several valid reasons for a spouse to file for individual bankruptcy.

What to Expect
Before you come into the office for your initial appointment, we ask that you complete the provided Intake Sheet. This will give us an initial overview of your assets and liabilities, whether foreclosure proceedings have been initiated against you, your household income and other details of your financial affairs.

At the initial meeting, Jack Lezman will review your information and discuss your options. If we agree that a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is most appropriate, you may then retain Jack Lezman as your legal representation. We will then provide you with paperwork to complete and a list of documents needed to file your petition.

Once you have provided all the necessary documents, we will schedule another meeting to review all the documents and sign the bankruptcy petition. We will then file your case and notify all your creditors.

About one month after filing, the court will schedule what is called a 341 meeting or meeting of creditors. In a Chapter 7 proceeding, discharge should occur between 75 and 90 days after the 341 meeting. In a Chapter 13 proceeding, there is a similar meeting with the Chapter 13 plan trustee to confirm your plan and discharge will occur after you have completed your plan and made all payments, usually over a period of 36 to 60 months.

Let Jack Lezman help you. Call for a consultation.

Are You Bankrupt?
If you are deeply in debt and wondering if you should consider filing for bankruptcy, ask yourself the following questions:

Are any of your credit card accounts more than 30 days late?

Do you only pay the minimum payment due on your credit cards?

Have you reached the credit limit on one or more of your credit cards?

Do bill collectors call you at home or work?

Do you have multiple mortgages on your house?

Do you live from paycheck to paycheck?

Are you behind on your house or car payments?

Is your house in jeopardy of foreclosure or has your house been foreclosed or your car repossessed?

If you have answered “Yes” to any or all of these questions call Jack Lezman to schedule a consultation. He can help you examine your options and get back on track financially.

The Difference Between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
In a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, all of the petitioner’s dischargeable debts are eliminated. Secured creditors, such as the banks holding mortgage and car loans, must continue to be paid if the petitioner is going to keep the property. To file under Chapter 7, your current monthly income must be less than the median income in your state or a “means test” calculation must show your monthly income minus expenses over a five year period is $6,000 or less and includes 25 percent or less of unsecured debt.

If you do not qualify to file under Chapter 7, a Chapter 13 proceeding might be appropriate. In a Chapter 13 proceeding, also sometimes called a “wage earner plan”, a five-year plan is put together to pay back creditors at least part of what they are owed. Secured creditors will continue to be paid and unsecured creditors will be paid back without interest based on what you can afford to pay. Chapter 13 also allows you to catch up on past due mortgage and vehicle payments over the life of the plan.

Why You Need an Attorney
Bankruptcy law is confusing and complex, especially in light of the recent changes enacted in the fall of 2005. An experienced bankruptcy attorney will protect your interests and make sure there are no errors or missteps in your filing.

Jack Lezman will fight for your rights in the bankruptcy court and make sure your interests are not trampled by creditors and others.

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005
The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 is an enormous piece of legislation designed to reform bankruptcy law and require more debtors to pay more of their debts.

However, statistics show that 85 percent of the people that would have qualified under Chapter 7 of the old law will still qualify under the new law.

Some of the major changes include:

A Means Test for Chapter 7 Eligibility.
Before the new law, the court had discretion to determine whether your case qualifies for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, now applicants are subject to a two-part means test. First, after taking out certain necessary expenses like rent and food, it will be determined whether you can afford to pay 25 percent of “non-priority unsecured debt”, like credit cards. Then your income is compared with the state’s median income. If your income is more than the state’s median income and you can afford to pay more than 25 percent of the unsecured debt, you will not be allowed to file for Chapter 7. If your income is lower than the state median you may file a Chapter 7.

Mandatory Credit Counseling and Debtor Education.
The new law requires you to meet with a credit counselor sometime during the six-months prior to applying for bankruptcy and a requirement of final discharge of debts is attendance at money management classes. These may both be done online for a small fee.

Additional Filings
Under the new law, a debtor will be unable to obtain a discharge in a Chapter 13 proceeding if he or she obtained a discharge in Chapter 7, 11 or 12 within four years of the filing of the new case, or in Chapter 13 within two years of the new case.

In addition, a Chapter 7 debtor will not be able to receive a discharge if a prior discharge was granted within 8 years of the new filing.

Establishing what you can afford to pay.
Under the new law, courts are required to apply living standards determined by the Internal Revenue Service to decide what is a reasonable amount to pay for rent, food and other living expenses in order to determine how much you can afford to pay on your debts.

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The information available on this website is general and does not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in here should be constructed as legal advice and should not be a substitute for legal counsel.